Menagerie
by IchBinAufKurs
Summary: Time is like a dream; nobody knows if it's real, but it has a way of changing things.


**Author's Note: The cover picture might change in the future, but this chapter's picture is by deviantART user duiker, "Get Munk'd - Prelude".**

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The streets were empty, so much so that it took them three times less what it would've taken them to get there if they'd gone to the store at any other time during the day. Likewise, the shop was empty like it was every morning. None of them particularly liked the store; the clothes were overpriced, it was slightly colder than a movie theater, the store was bigger than it was supposed to be and the walls were a dazzling white, giving it a sort of privileged feeling, like the people who shopped there were important and you were lucky to even be there; but it was the only store with the freedom to make clothes their size.

They wouldn't ordinarily shelter themselves from the public like they were now, but they'd gotten fairly popular during the last couple of months and this wasn't their everyday trip to the store, this was going to change their look forever. Only problem was, the store wasn't as empty as they thought it'd be.

Inside a room clearly labeled "Dressing Room" were normal everyday people trying on clothes while their friends waited outside to see how they looked, and off to the side were the chipmunks, Dave, and an attendant who was chewing gum as she waited for to see if anyone needed a size change. Theodore was inside one of the rooms trying on the clothes that had been designed specifically for them while Alvin was standing off to the side, complaining about the whole idea.

"Don't you think it's a little too late for this, Dave? If you were going to do this you should've done it a long time ago." Alvin remarked, a bit annoyed as he wasn't fond of change.

"It's just to to show how much you've matured. You're not the young little chipmunks you were when I found you. You're changing, your music is changing, and so are your fans." Dave replied. "We need something to establish that change or people aren't gonna know who your target audience is."

"Whatever you say, big guy." Alvin said, accepting defeat. Truth be told, he just wanted to get this over with.

"Don't forget, it'll also make you more attractive to the ladies." Simon joked.

"Woo hoo!" Alvin said sarcastically, "Count me in."

The clock ticked, costumers went in and out, but Theodore still wouldn't come out. Alvin got so bored he started checking out the costumers next to him.

"_I love it, but I feel like the other dress looked better on you._" A random costumer told her friend. And just as she went back in, another costumer came out to be greeted with her friend's opinion.

"We've been waiting for Theodore so long that the costumers have started doing some sort of a catwalk." Alvin whispered to Dave.

"Okay Theodore, let's see what they look like on." Dave called after a few minutes of waiting.

"No, it's alright." he insisted. "They've got a mirror in here, so I can- it'll be fine I could just see for myself."

"No, come on. You could use a second opinion." Alvin asserted.

They all peered closely as they saw his shadow approaching the door. Theodore walked out with an uncomfortable & awkward stance and said, "I think they're a bit small."

"They're designed to bring out your best attributes." Dave said.

"Oh, I get it. They're going to make him want to lose weight so that they're not as tight as they are right now, right?" Alvin joked.

"No," Simon said, almost shocked to hear him say that about his own brother. "No, I see it. I like how they wrinkle near the bottom, making the viewer focus on some of his more appealing characteristics. They're not one's everyday clothes, so they'll take a while to get used to, but I'm sure they're for the best."

"What do you think Theodore? Do you like them?" Dave asked.

"Well, now that Simon mentions it. They aren't that uncomfortable." He took a second to look down at them and took a deep breath, feeling more relaxed. "I think I actually like them. They look good, right?"

"Well, it sure beats running around half naked if you ask me." Alvin said rather bluntly.

"Okay Alvin, your turn." Dave said.

It didn't take him long at all. In less time than he took to go in, he was already out.

"They're more like really long baggy shorts if you ask me. Are you sure they didn't mix mine up with Theodore's?" Alvin asked, a bit startled by the size difference.

"What are you talking about? They look good on you." Dave said.

"What about my tail? The pants are meant to hang from my waist, my tail is obviously below my waist. What were they thinking?! It barely has enough room to move around. It's in the cuff of one of my legs for crying out loud."

"You could always cut it off."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa.. what was that?"

"You'll look more human that way."

"Uhh, how about no?"

"I'm just kidding, Alvin."

"I never knew you were so funny." Alvin said, not finding Simon's humor tasteful. "But that's besides the point. Look at this." he said, turning around to show them.

"That's because you're not wearing them right. Didn't you see they have a special modification for your tail?"

A random costumer was looking in his direction, giggling as she whispered, "What a twat." Another one turned and gasped at the statement with a smile.

"I'm not gonna lie, I feel a bit uncomfortable right now." Alvin said as he felt his brother unbuttoning his pants from behind, pulling them down, pulling his tail up, getting it through the loop, and finally buttoning them. "I really should've taken my time in there." Alvin said, acknowledging his fault.

"You think?"

As they neared the register Alvin noticed a mirror and approached it. As he looked as his reflection he wondered if he looked as confident as he felt.

"Do you really think our fans will like this?" Simon asked.

"I don't know, but I liked it."

"What if they don't like it?"

"I don't think it's so much about how I look, but more about how I feel." Alvin said, looking closer at his reflection. "And I wanna feel great."

He didn't know why, but he felt that since he liked it, his feelings for this new change would somehow transpire through to his fans and they would like it too. He felt like the change would somehow affect his behavior, changing his personality, or simply through the confidence he now felt and the audience would love it too.

The first step isn't always easy, but this time. . . it was.

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**Author's Note: Expect big things.**


End file.
